| |
|
Viz|Arena enables broadcasters to superimpose static or animated 3D graphics over live coverage of a sports event. Viz|Arena keeps the graphics fixed in place, regardless of camera movement, giving viewers the impression that the “virtual reality” 3D graphics are part of the live coverage.
Not limited to a simple set of graphics tools, Viz|Arena makes full use of the creative functionality of Vizrt’s design application, Viz|Artist™. 2D and 3D real-time graphics, text, video, logos, images, and animations can be overlaid anywhere, thereby adding information and enhancing the look.
Live Event Tracking
Viz|Arena can display real-time distance, height and velocity measurements on grass, track, snow, water or in 3D space. Local terrain maps, on a small or large scale, can be overlaid to show the detailed contours of a surface area. This is particularly useful for events with no standard field layout, such as ski jumping or golf. Similarly, team badges and sponsors’ logos can be laid on a surface over which players can walk. Alternatively, a virtual foreground object can be keyed onto the video coverage at a certain position and players will appear behind or in front of the object, strengthening the illusion.
  
Image-based Tracking
Based on a clean video feed, with at least two visible straight lines, Viz|Arena can simulate camera tracking in real-time. The system recognizes the pattern of the pitch and creates the model instantly. This makes it possible to apply graphics to the field without mechanical tracking heads. From just a video tape of a sports event, broadcasters can generate their own virtual graphics in-house. This advanced, but simple, feature enables broadcasters, who have not invested in a traditional camera tracking system for live sport events, to include virtual sports graphics in their programming.
The tracking data is linked to recorded video material. By using a fast DDR, the director can overlay virtual graphics in replay only seconds after it happens.
Image-based tracking can also be used to compensate for cameras on unstable ground, or cameras with a very high zoom. The image recognition system is used to correct the mechanical tracking data thereby creating a steady result.
Virtual Advertising
Viz|Arena can display advertisements on billboards, in a playing field and/or around the edge of a playing field, and can overlay new or animated commercials over the actual advertisement.
Typical Use
Viz|Arena is already widely used in the live coverage of many major sporting events, using graphics to show up-to-the-minute details, both vital for viewers’ interest and for advertising opportunities.
Multiple Models in One Control Application
Viz|Arena can have multiple calibration models in one control application. For instance, in horse racing:
- Model 1 for the straight in front of the grand stand.
- Model 2 for the final straight.
- Model 3 for the stalls, displaying horse name and jockey colors.
When the main switcher moves from camera to camera, the control application switches to the corresponding model instantly.
If more than one camera is needed in one location, the extra cameras would share the model with the main camera (one model, multiple cameras).
Key Features and Benefits
- Dynamic, correct-perspective field-of-play graphical overlays.
- Advanced 3D authoring system (Viz|Artist).
- Virtual advertising, game analysis and image insertion.
- Pattern recognition system for graphics overlay, without any camera tracking data.
- Easy and fast registration of field and position of the camera.
- Lens and field calibration is a fast, one-time process.
- High resolution camera tracking for pan/tilt/zoom, and focus for up to 16 cameras.
- Field calibration with built-in terrain modeling.
- Real-time distance measurements and object placement during live action.
- Plug-ins for every type of sports event.
- Optional golf plug-in utilizes the terrain module to calculate and plot the ideal path of a putt.
- Velocity estimation and height measurement.
- Recording of camera tracking data for immediate play and replay.
- Optional scoreboard module (character recognition) enables synchronization of a broadcast graphic clock with the official scoreboard, without the need to run data cables and interfaces.
|
|
|
